Sooseki in 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' is probably the most misunderstood song in terms of its placement in recent Telugu cinema history. The majority feels that placing such a song in the Jathara episode reflects director Sukumar's weird imagination. You will find Insta Reels mocking the placement.
One can be sure that this view is held only by the Telugu audience. The Hindi audience have embraced the song in toto and have no complaints about its unconventional placement in an emotional, intense stretch. The superb dance choreography has only helped boost the song's raw, organic appeal in Hindi.
The Telugu audience have certain rigid notions in mind while watching Telugu star hero movies. It's good that the makers of 'Pushpa 2' had prepared the audience for Bunny's female avatar right from the beginning. Had the Jathara episode been offered as a total surprise, it might have backfired royally.
Our audience are quite averse to star heroes experimenting with templates and looks. Our audience loved Rishab Shetty in the climax of 'Kantara' but it is doubtful how many of them would have approved of a Telugu hero doing it.
The mockery and trolling the Sooseki placement in 'Pushpa 2' has been subjected to makes it amply clear that the mindset of the Telugu audience militates against unconventional staging of emotional experiences. There is a reason most Telugu filmmakers make family entertainers and not family dramas. There is a reason most Telugu filmmakers would be inclined towards workplace comedies but not workplace dramas.
